Lt. Kernan quickly rose up from his crouch--the position he'd taken when he'd ordered Pearson to end their encounter. The private had done well and the machine lay scattered at their feet.

"Good job, Private," Monty intoned as he turned to find the other two.

”Hatherford, you ok, man?" Blake's voice rolled through the silence. "Should we call for Bjornnsen to see to Hatherford? He looks bad, sir, and I’m not so peachy myself. I can soldier on, though, pending your orders.”

Hatherford followed up with, "Phew, that was fun. Don't think I'd hit that one again anytime soon though."

“This is Johnannsen, IS anyone injured? Is there still hostile action.” This from Johnannsen.

“Belay that!! Maintain radio discipline, if the Lt needs us he will call us. Continue your search.” This from the Staff Sergeant.

"Pearson," Kernan said abruptly as he jogged towards the injured pair. "Secure the room."

While the grenadier went to work, Monty quickly investigated the superfluous injuries of his team. Grimacing at their injuries he was about to switch over to the overall team frequency when Kane's voice rippled across the line.

“Lt be aware have discovered radiation marked canisters, radiation protocol in effect for Team B, continuing search at this time.”

"Sergeant Kane," the Lieutenant switched to open frequency. "We've sustained some injuries here. Secure a path to the rendevous point and meet us there. Over."

"All right people, let's roll."

Monty's intention to search through every room was circumvented with the wounding of his team. Right now with the mission objective not in a critical state, the achievement of their mission was dependent upon the health of his team. Two members bruised up and blistered within the first hour of mission time was not a good average.

Carefully taking lead once more, Monty set a reasonable pace through the garage, into the adjoining hall, and straight to the foyer where he hopes to meet up with Team B and enlist the aid of the medic.

May 8th, 2025 - 1807
South Hallway, Antarctic Research Facility 36, Antarctica
Fire Team B

"Sergeant Kane," the Lieutenant speaks on the open frequency. "We've sustained some injuries here. Secure a path to the rendevous point and meet us there. Over."

Kane acknowledges the order, and in little time, has his fire team reassembled. Fire Team B finds nothing of real interest on their way to the entrance foyer. It is a short, easy stroll through empty hallways.


********************


May 8th, 2025 - 1807
Garage, Antarctic Research Facility 36, Antarctica
fire Team A

Pearson secures the garage, but there is nothing else of true interest to see. Rather than risk his wounded rangers, Kernan orders every member of the team to rezvendous.

The hallway outside of the garage is noticeably warmer than the large room from which Fire Team A has just left. Interestingly enough, there is no sign whatsoever of fire here - not even any traces of soot from around the door.

There is little time to ponder this, however - the door to the connecting passage reveals yet another scene from a nightmare.

This hub appears to be the scene of some violent past conflict. Bullet holes riddle the area, and there is a great deal of blood staining both the floor and the walls. The sickening smell of putrefying flesh hangs in the air here. Bloody boot and foot prints move toward all three exits here, and a couple of large, dark smears suggest that at least two bloody corpses were dragged down the west passage into the observatory.

Fortunately, there is no contact with anything - person, creature, or automation - and fire Team A soon finds themselves in the main hallway with Fire Team B.

Corporal Johannsen renders excellent aid she to both of the rangers injured in battle. The main hallway, for now, is quiet.

Moving down the hallway Inga was a Ranger. knowing that there were injuried kept her alerat and moving along quickly with her Team. Soonest there, soonest mended. came the old saying. to her mind unbiddened. Once her team moved into the garage where she ssaw two rangers down she move from ranger to medic. her medical bal off her shoulder after she slung her rifle on her shoulder.

Inga gives both the down rangers a quick triage examination.
Her job now was saving lives and keeping the injured Rangers operational.

“I need to get them both off the floor as soon I can be confident they will not suffer any more injury by shifting them. To the others of her team Inga asks “What took them down?” While she listens she is moving quickly to each the downed rangers. both were consious and stable fo now

"I will need someone to find boards, creepers, canvas tarps, whatever you can be used get them up off this floor. A table will work well."

Inga took out a couple of space blankets and covered them both up trying to conserve their body heat. She keep on her gloves this time. She couldn’t afford to get her hands frost bitten. Her task is simple get them stabilized forst, treat wound and injuries and on their feet if she can.

Inga asks each of the injured four quick questions as she pulls out her stethoscope to listen to heart and lungs. The question is first, is "How many fingers am I holding up?" The second is, "Where do you hurt?” The third question is, “Can you breath normally?" and last is, “Are you bleeding?" Those answers guide her as to who she treats first and then what injuries need to be tended to first, as well as any obvious signs of injuries.

First with the helpop of the others she gets them off the floor WIth W/O Blake having trouble breathing tshe became her dirst patient. Afte Blake answered her question Some gentle probing of Blake’s ribcage leads Inga to believe that some of the W/O's ribs are fractured, if not broken. She also quickly checks for any sign of concussion. Using an small LED light, Inga asks Blake to track it with her eyes. And then by turning it off and on she can check to see if her pupils are responsive or fixed and dialated.

Inga tries not to expose any more of their flesh to the cold than possible. This extreme cold in their condition could start them on a downward spiral . Shock dropping their core temperature down and added to the paralyzing cold it might very possible drop them to a point of no return. However n the little she could see there was already extensive bruising on the W/O’s chest. She must have caught the brunt of that explosion (assuming she is told of it). Inga gets any flat object she can to use as a back board while she gets Blake into a seated position. Unzipping the bottom of Blake's heavy outer parka slightly, Inga uses her long arms to advantage to wrap the Blake’s chest with tape to support her ribs. "When you are ready I would like to get you on your feet and see it there are any other problems. Just sing out when you are ready becasue I don't want you getting on you feet by yourself." The combination of ther body heat as she worked under Blake’s jacket seemed to help now chilled her hands were. Maybe it was only her imagination though. "now if you feel dizzy, or nasuseated or get blurred vision or a heachacke you sing out loud and clear," Inga tells W/O Blake. "Here are some painkeillers, Tylenol, Do not take any aspirin or subsitutes, Tylenol will not thin the blood aspin and acetamorphines would.

Hatherford's injuries are a combination of burns, laser fire from what it sounds like and concussion injuries from the grenade blast as well as the invisable pulse Blake described. The was a possibility of shrapnel damage as well so she checked out all possiblities. Inga looks over his clothing for any signs of tearing to projectile entry. The laser wounds fortunately cauterized the wound but Inga treated the burn and bandaged it. Again not really removing any garments but working as quickly as possible under them. Inga checks Pearson for signs of concussion also. It could be a hidden killer as well blood leaking into the brain and swelling or just swelling from the damage the brain took inside the skull when a person is exposed to a blast or even a physical shaking. After examination, treatment and bandaging, and some Tylenolor . Take as needed but not more that two every four hours."

Then Inga gives him an all clear. “Okay, Hatherford, you’ll do for now. However, if you have fny problems or if you notice any new symptoms, such sweating, blurry vision, dizzyiness, headach, nausea, etc., let me know." Up you go Ranger. Let's have at them." Inga then efficiently repacks her medical pack with everything in its place, and stands ready to report to the Lieutenant, when he is free

Blake is more than happy to let Johannsen examine her, and she tells the concerned medic about the impact of the invisible pulse from the robot. “Kinda like those air cannons that shoot T-shirts into the crowds at ball games, but on steroids, ya know?”

When Johannsen slides her hands up under Blake’s jacket to check her ribs and tape them up, Charlie winces but avoids a flinch by biting her lip. She looks to see if any of the fellas are watching more closely then they should (and will snap a crisp “Eyes left or right, anywhere but on me!” if needed) and lifts her jacket and t-shirt enough to give the medic better access. Inga gets a good view of a cobra tattoo rising from below Charlie’s waistband to circle her pierced belly button, head resting just below the curve of her breasts. The snake has a rose in its mouth, which is starting to purple with bruising from the attack.

“Are my “girls” ok, doc?” Charlie asks in a whisper, her pale eyes wide and serious in her pain pinched face. “They may be small, but I’m told they’re magnificent…please tell me they’ll be alright.”

She holds still long enough to get her ribs bound and swallow some painkillers, grimacing at the sour taste of the pills, and nods at the medic’s orders to disclose any further symptoms. "Thanks, doc, you are da bomb!"

She’ll then assist the medic with Hatherford if needed, before gathering up bits of destroyed robot for study when she has time. She’ll focus on parts that may have the thing’s “brain” but won’t assume it’s the “head”.

OOC: That’s all for now until the two leaders have a chance to trade intel…and we know if we are proceeding immediately or have time to examine the robot bits.

Blake's unexpection and unsual question forced Inga sto top and think about what was meant by "her girls" and then a moment more to form a proper reply.

"Yes Ma'm. They are mostly soft tissue but they will be bruised some since they took a direct blow that forced them against your rib cage with enough force to knock you off your feet. So they will probably be tender and a bit swollen from the blood that flowed out into the tissues from damaged blood vessels. That is what brusing is. You might want to consider a "proteced cup" bra, Ma'm.

As they continued their search of the south end of the facility, heading slowly towards a link up with the Lt and Team A, Kane was struck at the quiet of it all. Something somehow had gone very, very wrong and those techs or Soldiers or who ever had been here had paid the price. Just then the Lieutenant’s voice came on the open frequency

"Sergeant Kane, we've sustained some injuries here. Secure a path to the rendezvous point and meet us there. Over."

“Affirmative, Team B on its way.”
The Staff Sergeant replied.
“Johannsen, Lee, form up on me and head for the main hallway, Lee take point, Hart rear guard move it medium and careful”

His fire team reassembled, with Sgt Lee on point Kane and Team B made good time to the link up finding nothing of any interest.
With the two teams for the moment one, Johannsen went to work on the wounded, as Kane made his way over to the Lt.

“What are your orders sir”.....

As if a switch had been thrown Lee and then Johnannsen totally forgot radio discipline and both tried to talk at once.
“On Alert! Acknowledged! Lee and Johannsen rendezvousing with Sgt Kane.” This from Lee.
“This is Johnannsen, IS anyone injured? Is there still hostile action.” This from Johnannsen.

“Belay that!! Maintain radio discipline, if the Lt needs us he will call us. Continue your search.”
Lee stopped in the hallway outside the next room from the one they had just exited when he heard the Sgt’s order. He shook his head as he didn’t agree with Staff Sgt’s decision but he would follow the order.

"Lets continue our sweep," He said to the Cpl.

Lee didn’t see anything wrong with what he had done. Standard procedure said that they should be ready to lend aid to the other Fire Team in an instant. The Lt’s call had said to ‘Stand Ready’ and rejoining their team was the smart thing to do, not continue to be separated where it would waste precious seconds if they were needed by the Lt.

The Staff Sgt at first had seemed a soldier with a lot of experience but Lee began to wonder about the man’s capabilities under fire. The man seemed more interested in radio discipline then in sound tactics. Such small lapses in judgment could get them all killed.

He gestured to Cpl Johannsen to follow him and check out the other rooms on their side of the hall as ordered.

“Lt be aware have discovered radiation marked canisters, radiation protocol in effect for Team B, continuing search at this time.”
Sgt Lee nodded to Cpl Johannsen to make sure she had heard the order regarding radiation, but their side of the hall seemed to mostly contain station quarters and not labs and such. Finding nothing out of the ordinary the Cpl and he had just moved back to the hallway when..

"Sergeant Kane, we've sustained some injuries here. Secure a path to the rendezvous point and meet us there. Over."

“Affirmative, Team B on its way.” The Staff Sergeant replied.

“Johannsen, Lee, form up on me and head for the main hallway, Lee take point, Hart rear guard move it medium and careful”
Sgt Lee formed up and took the point as soon as the Staff Sgt and Hart rejoined them. He kept his carbine ready and moved out at a medium yet cautious pace scanning all doorways especially if they were open. Reaching the main hallway he was relieved to see Fire Team A limping in the other end.

As Cpl Johannsen rushed to the injured, Lee took up a defensive position near the short hallway to the west (the one north of the comm center) keeping a watchful eye for any further sign of danger. He again noticed the Staff Sgt’s disregard for standard procedure, he should have immediately made sure that all egress to this hallway were covered by his men before asking the Lt about orders. Doubt was beginning to creep into his mind regarding their leadership.

(OOC: Please don’t take offense Tann, just my character seeing fault in the Staff Sgt’s leadership and this is not in any way criticism of your Rping. )

Lt. Keenan was not at all happy with the way things were going thus far. Two Rangers wounded, cold fatiguelikely setting in, and some high-tech killing machine hanging out in the shadows. Then there was the report from Fire Team B concerning the radioactive materials in the canisters, and the bloodsoaked room and the trail leading off to the observatory. That was just spooky. These thoughts filled his head while the empty hall filled his vision.

Stepping into the foyer Monty was relieved to be met be Fire Team B, and while Kane approached the lieutenant watched to make sure that the doors were covered.

"Orders, Sir?" asked Sgt. Kane.

"Make sure we're properly covered while Johannsen patches those two up. Then I think we'll dig in for a few hours and see what strength we can recover. I believe the bunks'll do just fine for that.

"Set up the watch schedule, Staff Sergeant. As soon as we're able we'llmove out."

After the medic had done her thing Fire Team A will lead the squad to the bunks moving cautiously, but not wasting time. Six hours down time, fiften minutes for MREs, and then Kernan will fill Fire Team B in on the blood trail and his intention to take the squad to the observatory where he believes the answers will start coming.

May 9th, 2025 - 0034
Barracks, Antarctic Research Facility 36, Antarctica

The night passes without incident, with the military's infamous prepacked food the only hazard encountered. The sleep gained is not enough to fully restore you, but the borrowed bunks are far better than nothing - and the short rest is not at all out of the ordinary for what a ranger team is accustomed to enduring.

Shortly after midnight, Georgia time, everyone is up and ready to go.

Kernan relates the earlier discovery of the bloodstains and other battle signs, and soon, the entire team is witness to them en route to the observatory.

The hall to the observatory is somewhat odd; there are actually two sets of doors that must be openend to enter the room. This is by design, of course - when the domed ceiling is open, it can get insanely cold, and the second door was built as sort of an "airlock" against the elements.

When the second door is opened, further strangeness is triggered. The first - and most obvious - sign that somethign is wrong is the fact that the dark, heavy bloodstains stop completely, as if the bodies that were being drug simply vanished into thin air. Despite the indications on the floor that the bodies were copiously leaking fluid, there is not a simgle drop within the observatory itself.

Speaking of the observatory, you find that the large, domed room is very sparse, compared to the rest of the facility. The chamber is quite cold, and the circular shape fo the room helps to amplify the echoes of any sound.

The domed ceiling is currently closed, and a large telescope points towards the heavens.

The moment you step foot into the room, the sound of automatic weapons fire greets your ears! Two soldiers in U.S. Army garb duck for cover and begin firing bursts at you!

BACKPOST
“What are your orders sir”.....

"Make sure we're properly covered while Johannsen patches those two up. Then I think we'll dig in for a few hours and see what strength we can recover. I believe the bunks'll do just fine for that.
Set up the watch schedule, Staff Sergeant. As soon as we're able we'll move out."

“Yes Sir.”

Turning to the rest of the troopers

“Ok two hour watches Hart, Pearson your up first, one to the south, the other north. Lee, Hatherford next, then Johannsen and myself.”

With the watch rotation for the next six hours set Kane took an MRE out of his ruck and was pleased to see it was Dogs and beans his favorite. Of course truth be told thought he had seeded his supply of them too his tastes it was still nice to eat something with a little taste to it.
God how he remembered K-Rats, the Army’s pre prep meals before MRE’s, talk about no taste, chalk tasted better then K-Rats. Plastic spoon in hand he chow’d down.

PRESENT
With the watches and the six hour rest over the Lt finally told all about his and Team A’s earlier discovery of the bloodstains and other battle signs. With Hart once again on post and Hatherford this time as rear guard they moved out with the way to the observatory leading through area described by the Lt the entire team was able to see first hand what Team A had found.

The hall to the observatory was clearly somewhat odd; with double sets of doors that had to be opened together to enter the room. With the second door opened the strangeness of this whole mission increased. The first - and most obvious - sign that something had gone very wrong was the fact that the dark, heavy bloodstains leading into the large room seemed to stop completely, as if the bodies that were being dragged simply vanished into thin air. Despite the indications on the floor that the bodies were copiously leaking fluid, there was not a single drop within the observatory itself.

A quick scan of the observatory, showed that the large, domed room was very sparse, compared to the rest of the facility. The chamber as everything else in the facility was quite cold, and due to the circular nature of the room acted as if standing on a cliff over a canyon amplifies the echoes of any sound. The domed ceiling currently closed, and a large telescope points towards the heavens.

Then without warning things started to get interesting as the sound of automatic weapons fire and two soldiers in U.S. Army garb duck for cover and begin firing bursts at at the team.
Kane reacted quickly

“Hold your fire, everyone pull back we need them alive”

With the Team pulled back Kane awaited the Lt’s orders of how he wanted to play this first contact....

Charlie looks at the medic seriously, if a little blearily. “ Protected bra, huh? I got me one of those, from an eco-blacksmith at the Burning Man Festival a few years back, but it’s hardly regulation. You think Sarge blew a gasket over my jacket…you’da hafta medicate him if he saw them spikes poking through the t-shirt!,” she responded in a low voice that probably wasn’t as low as she intended. “Anyhoo, doc, thanks for the patch job.”

When the time came, she moved out with the others, moving gingerly until she could reassure herself that the taping did actually help her feel better. She may never get chummy with the buttoned down medic, but the woman knew her stuff, and Charlie’s respect for her had gone up considerably.

Blake started to open her mouth when the Sarge issued the watch list, as she’d have thought he’d give Hatherford the last watch to get the most uninterrupted rest, but then she shrugged. She’d seen enough to know he wouldn’t take it well, and the looey could always countermand the Sarge. Heckers, if Johannsen doesn’t say anything about her patient, then I won’t just for the fun of getting my head bit off, hehe. Can’t play the “not in the chain of command” both ways, chicka!
When they reached the bunks, Blake spent some of her downtime muttering and looking over the bits of robot she had time to salvage, trying to determine how it was made, whether the command chip was intact, and if so, she’d try hacking it with her computer. She knew that if she didn’t do this first, she’d never settle her mind enough to chase sleep.

Once she’d satisfied herself that she was going to learn all that she could from the broken parts, she set them aside and lay flat out on her bunk. Insomnia was part of her life for as long as she could remember, and she was prepared to at least let her body get some rest, if not her brain, but fatigue rolled over her and she slept, fingers twitching at some imaginary keyboard.

When wakened, Charlie stretched tentatively and grinned at how much better she felt. A day in a steam room, followed by a deep tissue massage administered by a burly blond man would not go amiss, but she felt pretty darn chipper, all things considering. She opened her MRE, grinning at the goofy sense of anticipation she always felt on such discovering the over-processed, chemical tasting stuff (“Mana from the gods, dudes!”), and traded portions of it with the others to maximize the caffeine and sugar content of her meal.

When Sarge called the troop to order, Charlie took her place in the marching order, holding the M6 instead of the pistol. If they came across another ‘bot, she wanted a little more stopping power.

Charlie found herself looking at the bloodstains in the hallway almost too much, the patterns and spatter drew her eye and she couldn’t help but speculate on the grievious injuries that would cause such patterns. It was that much more startling to enter the observatory and not see any more stains, almost cut off in mid-spatter. She was just starting to collect viable explanations for herself when the staccato sound of automatic gunfire sent her into a crouching scuttle for cover.

“Hold your fire, everyone pull back we need them alive” Kane ordered, and Charlie would have laughed at the absurdity of the situation if she weren’t being fired at. Wouldn’t be much of a rescue if we killed them, now would it?
Still, once under as much cover as possible, Charlie waited for the looey to tell the soldiers to stand down, the cavalry was here. She kept her carbine ready however, more to lay down covering fire if necessary than with any intention to harm the soldiers.

OOC: Maybe I missed it, but no-one told the looey about the mini-dragon? I didn't post that Charlie would check it and the radiation canisters out as I wasn't sure she knew about them. Don't want to metagame.

BACKPOST-

“What are your orders sir”.....

"Make sure we're properly covered while Johannsen patches those two up. Then I think we'll dig in for a few hours and see what strength we can recover. I believe the bunks'll do just fine for that.
Set up the watch schedule, Staff Sergeant. As soon as we're able we'll move out."

“Yes Sir.”

Turning to the rest of the troopers

“Ok two hour watches Hart, Pearson your up first, one to the south, the other north. Lee, Hatherford next, then Johannsen and myself.”
Sgt Lee smiled, at least the Lt knew they should have set up guards, perhaps the Sgt Kane was hurting more from the cold then he showed. In either case, Lee acknowledged the Sgt’s orders and stood down and found one of the bunks for himself and sat down and pulled out an MRE to eat. He hardly noticed the taste as he slowly ate and thought of their situation. Killing Ape-like things, radiation, the strange blue field outside. It didn’t add up yet, obviously they didn’t have all the pieces yet. But he was sure they would soon, hopefully not too late.

After eating he relaxed on the bunk and with his carbine within easy reach he drifted off to sleep in less than a minute, a habit one quickly acquired when they needed to make the best of what short rest they might get. He stood his watch midway through the rest period in silence, standing where he could see Hatherford at all times yet too far for quiet conversation. He wasn’t much for talking while on watch, he liked to listen for trouble before it sprang up and ripped your throat out. When his watch was over he went back to sleep as quickly as before.

PRESENT-

Rising from his rest, he double checked his gear and weapons while the Lt told them of the bloody massacre in the hallway just north of their current location. He took this in silence and only kept his carbine at the ready as he moved out in formation.

As they entered the bloody are he kept his eyes scanning for trouble, observing the blood and noticing the way the bodies seemed to have been dragged to the Observatory. Something big had hit this place, something very bad. His only sign of anything was the slight raising of his carbine as his grip tightened on the stock.

A quick scan of the observatory, showed that the large, domed room was very sparse, compared to the rest of the facility. The chamber as everything else in the facility was quite cold, and due to the circular nature of the room acted as if standing on a cliff over a canyon amplifies the echoes of any sound. The domed ceiling currently closed, and a large telescope points towards the heavens.

Then without warning things started to get interesting as the sound of automatic weapons fire and two soldiers in U.S. Army garb duck for cover and begin firing bursts at at the team.
Kane reacted quickly

“Hold your fire, everyone pull back we need them alive”
Sgt Lee had been only steps behind Hatherford as they reached the Observatory and was just wondering what could have eradicated the blood and bodies from the room ahead when he heard and saw a blur of movement and then gunfire erupted ahead of them, he darted to cover raised his carbine to track one of the soldiers that was firing at them but he didn’t fire.

Hearing Sgt Kane’s orders he pulled back and took up a defensive position just outside the doorway on the left covering the doorway. He had seen US Army uniforms on the two men inside, but what did it mean. He wondered if they were only scared and alone and didn’t know if what had slaughtered the others was after them now, or if they might have gone crazy and they might be the ones who had done all the killing. He thought this unlikely as he couldn’t imagine any human who could have done the bloody work they had just past through. He waited ready to fire and let the Sgt and Lt call the next shot, his gun trained on the doorway ready to blast whoever or whatever might come through it after them.

Gabriel was glad to have everyone back together, the whole strength in numbers saying runnin' through his mind. They had just started the search of the facility and had already seen so much blood just scattered all over the place. Who or whatever hit the place had done a helluva job of it. Possibilities were running through his mind over who would have the tech to create the freckin' snowmen yetis in the first place. He didn't even feel that his own country had this kind of tech.

Hart just ran his fingers through his hair in a slight frustration, digging in nice and cozy for his watch. After being on point and then taking up rear guard, two of the least desirable positions in a hostile environment, he was glad to pull first watch. Atleast his sleep would go without being interrupted.

Not paying attention to who took his place after his two hours were up, Gabriel quickly ate his rations before 'hitting the sack'.

Current
Hart got as low as possible behind the crates or whatever he could find as cover as the automatic fire came in at him. Never figured I'd be the target of friendly fire. A nervous laugh escaped from his lips.

"Somebody wanna tell these guys that we're on the same side here!"

Monty made sure to catch Kane in a place where low tones wouldn't carry to the others after everyone had settled in to their scheduled watch. It wouldn't be an uncommon thing for the officer and NCO of a squad to discuss tactics without everyone else present, so Lt. Kernan didn't think anyone would think twice about the meeting. Truth was, that Monty had more than just tactics on his mind.

"We kinda got off on the wrong foot, Sarge. Gotta love these quick team assemblies: no one get's real comfortable with the ways of their CO in a few hours, especially when that CO expects you to read minds.

"So, here it is, Kane. I think you are doing a fine job. A more regulated Staff Sergeant couldn't be found. However, there are a couple of things I'd like you to keep in mind when going' about your business. The first being that I expect all able-bodied personnel to participate in all aspects of team responsibilities when viable. In other words, if they have a skillset better suited for something other that digging trenches that needs their attention at the moment, they don't dig trenches; otherwise I don't care if its me on watch, or the private, each pulls their own weight.

"Second was that I wanted you to know about this deviation in plans before I announce it to therest of the squad..." Monty proceeded to inform Kane of his decision to nix searching the rest of the facility in favor of heading straight for the observatory due to the blood trail. "Get on the radio and call the situation in as we've found it before you hit the sack."

(OOC: Room for backposting if any conversation is necessary.)

When Monty awoke and took part in the devouringof the MRE alongside his team, the Lieutenant used that time to inform everyone of the change in plans. This time, as they prepared to move out, Kernan found he couldn't really couldn't justify taking a point position. So, he allowed Kane to set the rank and file and then the squad devoured the halls between them and the observatory arriving at the point where the blood smears ended. Here Lt. Kernan ordered a halt long enough to make sure they weren't going to end up with their heads cut off by some laser wire, step on some pressure plate that activated a quantum leap, or some other strange, science fiction disaster. When everything proved to be safe to the eye he ordered them on through the doors. Shortly thereafter the bullets started to fly.

Kane made the quick order that took the team out of immediate danger and While the commentary continued amongst his troops Kernan desperately wished they'd been outfitted with something as rudimentary as a flash bang.

"U.S. Army personnel. Stand down. I repeat; lay down your arms, you are firing on friendlies. Army ranger squad (insert designation) deployed for your assistance!"

Monty switched to team radio, "If this get's ugly we do not shoot to kill. Understood?"

Last Watch

Inga rolled out of her warm cocoon when the Sgt work her for her watch. She had set her alarm for the time and it went off just as he motioned her up. She felt very much better this morning. and slips into the parka a she emerged from her bag keeping the warmth in as much as possible. she slipped on her outer pants still in the bag and then was up and out with gloves, ski mask (or its equivalent) and stuffed her sleeping bag back into its stuff bag ready. Inga buckled on her belt and packs and carried her rifle at the ready.

When she closes with the Sgt Kane briefly she says "Sgt. That straight period of sleep did me good. She nods in acknowledgement of what he had done. It really had helped. She felt nowhere near as affected by the extreme cold as she had before sleeping. It had taken her some time to warm up, but she had and that slept was soundly. Well, as sound as possible when one is basically started in a frozen landscape in what appears to be an abandoned base with Yeti and paranoid robot running around--well at least they had been.
The last watch was quiet and t]at the appointed hour the rest of the team began to wake from their well deserved rest. Inga hopes that it did for them what it did for her. Though she goes over and checks on the two who were wounded to see if they need any medical attention.

Carrying on the Mission

After everyone is up and breakfasted on rations, the whole team sets off together. After yesterday’s surprises it was most likely a wise move on the part of the Lt. But that was why he was in charge—to make those kinds of decisions.

Inga is one of the last of the group and it moves out of the bunk area back toward where Team A had entered. Apparently they had found something else and were now going to go back to check the area out.

The moves efficiently in the halls, the only sounds she heard were from themselves. So far they were the only living things about since one cannot count a dead Yeti and a robot amongst the living. The only really strange think happened when they got into the observatory. The blood stains of what looked like a badly injured body being dragged across the floor and then suddenly the blood trail ended. Inga was about to ask if she should take some samples of the blood for identification later when shots rang out and Sgt. Kane and the Lt. Kernan ordered them back out the doors. Inga ran out grabbing hold of the door with one hand holding it open to clear the path back outside the observatory. She takes up a ready-to-fire position to cover the retreat of those who had penetrated further in. But heed the Lt words not to fire.

Lt. Kernan called out for the shooters to put down their weapons as they were firing on friendly forces. Now, it was a mater of waiting until that was done or the Lt’s next order. As the fire teams set up in position, Inga stepped back towards the rear again, mindful of Sgt. Kane’s words to her yesterday.